All My Children Commentary

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The Best and Worst of All My Children 2013:
We've come to the end of another year, and once again we're saying goodbye to All My Children. This week we take one last look back at the things t... Read the column now...

Babe ran into Jamie and Amanda, and Amanda, in her own special way, made it very clear that she and Jamie were a couple. After a brief civil exchange with Jamie, Babe left. Jamie told Amanda that he knew she had purposely rubbed Babe's face in them being together and that if she pulled something like that again, they were finished. Amanda tried to seduce Jamie, but he rejected her.

Tad told Dixie that she had Julia's life in her hands. He explained that Julia was a target and that her old boyfriend, Kevin, was the one targeting her. She told Tad that Kevin was not part of a big mob family or a group of hit men. Dixie told Tad to back off, but he said he couldn't. She told him she couldn't tell him what she didn't know. Tad asked if she was scared of Kevin and said if that were the case, he would protect her. He again pleaded for any information about Kevin, and Dixie told him that she wouldn't play with Julia's life. Dixie told Tad that either he had to stop torturing her, or he had to leave her forever.

Julia asked Sam why he was living in Pine Valley while his mom and sister were in California. He told her that he had become a Martin. She told him that family couldn't be replaced. He told Julia that his mom had just quit loving his dad. Julia told Sam a story about his mom and dad before they'd been married and how much they'd loved each other.

Julia tried to explain the complexities of relationships to Sam and how couples could change. She told him whatever happened with his mom and dad, it didn't mean that they didn't love each other. He said that he had found his real family with the Martins. She told him that the Martins were his relatives, but his family was in California.

Zach called Ryan and told him to continue to stay dead and that if he hurt Greenlee or Kendall, Zach would hunt him down and kill Ryan himself. Mimi then caught up with Zach and wanted to have a talk with him, but he said he was too busy. Then Zach saw Babe and wanted information about Di Kirby. Babe told Zach that if he told her what he had on Di, she might be able to help him. Babe took Zach to where Tad and Dixie were, and from behind a tree, they saw Di Kirby kissing Tad.

Erin told Ryan she would take Jonathan to the hospital, where he could get the help he needed. Ryan told her that he had walked away from his old life, and she and Jonathan were his family. Erin asked Ryan if they could forget past grudges and start again. Ryan reassured her that he wanted nothing more.

Greenlee realized that if Ryan was alive, it meant that he was intentionally staying away. Kendall tried to reason with Greenlee by saying that Lily was not a reliable witness. Kendall told her that Ryan adored her, and he would never run off and live another life. Greenlee said that they could not go on with their plans to have Ryan's baby, but Kendall reassured her that they were making the right decision. Greenlee said that if Ryan let her believe he was dead, she would have no reason to go on.

Greenlee gave Kendall three books on pregnancy as well as an exercise plan. She said that Kendall could no longer have shellfish or alcohol, and she had to divorce Zach. Kendall refused. Greenlee asked Kendall for one good reason why she wanted to stay married to Zach. Kendall told her that her marriage gave her security, and she was going to stay married. Greenlee then realized that Kendall cared for Zach. Kendall said the only reason she was staying married to Zach was to keep her from falling for someone else and getting into another failed relationship.

A new client greeted Tad and Aidan -- Zach. Mr. Cambias was looking for Di Kirby. Tad was thrown, but only for a moment, and asked Zach the typical P.I. questions about Di. Zach played along briefly then dropped the bomb that he knew Di was Dixie -- and he needed her help. When Tad didn't offer any, Zach bolted. Alone with Tad, Aidan wondered if Dixie might be involved with the Julia mess. "She's my Dixie," said Tad. Apparently, he didn't need the DNA test; it only took one kiss. Tad admitted to Aidan he was falling for Dixie and was sure she wasn't lying to him.

After spotting Jamie and Amanda dining together, JR went over to offer a few snide remarks and advise his brother to stay far away from Amanda. Later, Jamie and Amanda had a heart-to-heart about Amanda's mom, "Janet from another-planet." Eventually, the duo decided to see a movie together.

Di confided in Del that she feared she was about to lose everything. Del advised his sister to keep mum. If she gave away the information that could help save Julia, Di would lose her life as Dixie and possibly her life in general. Di decided to take a drive, and her car steered her to see Krystal. The former prison pals talked about Tad, and Krystal warned Di not to hurt him. After leaving Krystal, Di went to get some fresh air. A mystery person grabbed her from behind.

While she was trying on a dress for the wedding, Dani's zipper got stuck. Garret popped in the dressing room to help her with it. After zipping her up, Garret promised to keep all of her secrets, to which Dani replied that there was one secret her mom needed to know: Garret had feelings for Dani. He assured her he didn't have "those" kinds of feelings. She confessed he made her uncomfortable, and when Mimi walked up, Garret told Dani to tell Mimi just that. Dani told her simply that she liked the dress. She tried to hint that something was off, but Mimi didn't take the bait as they all stood in front of a mirror like a seemingly happy family.

Babe arrived at the Chandler mansion and discovered the social worker wasn't there yet. At first, JR was adamant she not see the baby, but after she set her plan into motion, JR showed he had a little heart and decided he'd stay and supervise the visit. When Babe realized she had forgotten a toy for the baby, she went to the car to get it, leaving the baby with JR. When she returned, JR was on the phone. Babe asked where the baby was, and the two started looking for him. Suddenly, there was a spine-chilling scream from Babe.

Babe and JR searched madly for their son, though JR was convinced that Little Adam couldn't have gone far. Del joined them on the patio to see what the commotion was about and, when filled in, joined the search. Babe took off to check by the pool, and soon JR was treated to an ear-piercing scream, followed by a splash that could only mean she dove into the pool to save their son. He paused briefly then quickly raced toward the pool. The next few moments passed in a flash then suddenly a soaked Babe carried her equally drenched son back to the patio with JR on her heels.

Little A cried for a moment then stopped. Babe feared for her son's life and attempted to start CPR. JR, frozen in fear, only reacted when Babe screamed at him to call 9-1-1. As he did, Tad showed up, disbelieving what was right before his eyes. As Babe continued to work on Little A, Tad held a frantic JR back, assuring him that Babe knew what she was doing. She finally got the baby to breathe again, and JR allowed her to hold and comfort him as they heard the sirens getting closer.

When the paramedics arrived, JR demand that they call ahead to Pine Valley Hospital and have specialists waiting at the door when they arrived. The paramedics told him that Little A would be checked out thoroughly once they got to the hospital, but they knew he would be fine because Babe had performed CPR by the book. Babe asked if she could go with them in the ambulance, and JR, after taking a moment to realize that he once again owed Babe for his son's life, said that they weren't leaving without him on board as well. They all took off, leaving Tad and Del behind.

Del started to leave, but Tad stopped him and demanded to know where he could find Dixie. Del said that he didn't know where she had gone, only that she'd said she'd needed air. Tad, furious that he couldn't get more information on Dixie's whereabouts, tried to call Dixie on her cell phone. They quickly found out that she'd left her cell phone behind when it started ringing where it lay on one of the patio couches.

Tad then asked if Zach Slater had stopped by to see Dixie, but Del swore that he hadn't seen Zach. Tad pleaded with Del to think back over the last conversation he'd had with Dixie and tell him anything that might help. Finally, Del said that Dixie had mentioned the location where she and Tad had first seen each other -- this time around. Realizing that she was referring to the cliffs, Tad took off in search of his beloved.

At the hospital, Babe tearfully looked at the empty crib as JR watched her from the background. When the nurse entered the room, they looked at her, hoping she had good news. She told them that the amount of time their son had stopped breathing hadn't been long enough to cause any significant damage. JR was prepared to do whatever it took to get Little A thoroughly tested, but the nurse assured him that while there would be more tests, their son had been through enough that day -- and that all he needed was rest and his parents. She exited the room, leaving them alone again.

It only took JR a moment before he started in on Babe, asking how she would exact her revenge -- by either going to the cops or to the courts and claiming negligence on his part. Babe tried to assure him that she had no such intentions, but JR was hard-pressed to believe her. Babe reminded him of the time that she'd looked away; back in the days when they'd had Bess, who was really Miranda, she had been at the park and had looked away to help a little boy tie his shoes. When she'd looked back, the baby had been gone. But JR had been there, like a hero, to save their baby.

Babe then admitted that she knew it had been a setup and that he had done it to make her look like an unfit parent. JR worried that Babe would stick it to him because of the latest incident, but Babe ran down the list of panicked thoughts that she'd had while saving their son, none of which had had a thing to do with how to get a better custody arrangement or more visitation with Little A. It was a lot for JR to take in -- this acting like their feud was less important than their son.

JR then quietly asked Babe if she would teach him CPR. She denied his request -- but only because she wasn't certified. She told him that she would go to classes with him if that was what he wanted. Just then, the nurse carried their crying son back into the room. JR and Babe immediately shifted their attention to him, and the nurse told them that Little A would be a lot better once he got some rest. She reminded them about visiting hours, Babe thanked her, and the nurse took her leave.

Once the nurse was gone, JR told Babe that her visiting hours were over, and Babe looked at him incredulously. Then, realizing the kind of man JR still was, she kissed her son and told him that she would be back as soon as she could. She started to leave, but JR called out to her. He changed his mind because the doctors might have some questions that only she could answer. She went back into the room and made a beeline for her son, as JR watched the loving exchange from the background.

During a lunch stop at BJ's, Dani filled a disturbed Simone in on her dressing room mishap with Garret. Simone was taken aback at Dani's unsure tone and reminded her that not long before, she had also been worried about Garret's true motives. Dani admitted that she still was, but she couldn't be sure if Garret was really making inappropriate advances or if she was completely off the mark. They discussed the possibility, with nothing really resolved. Then, Josh stopped by their table to see how they were -- and received a cold shoulder from Dani. As they stepped away to talk, Ethan swooped into the restaurant, flower in hand, lavishing affection on Simone.

By the bar, Dani lit into Josh, calling him a coward because he'd tried to talk his way out of landing in jail. She told him that she could still have him arrested -- all it would take would be one phone call. Josh told her that she could do what she liked -- after she told him what had made her think that he had just been playing games with her. She admitted that she'd had a talk with Garret and had gotten the scoop on Josh. Taken aback, Josh did some calling out of his own -- he asked how it was that Dani would take the word of someone who didn't know him over her own feelings, when she knew him quite well. He asked how Garret had gotten to her, and she recoiled a little too violently, insisting that Garret had done no such thing. Josh then asked if she planned on telling him exactly what was going on or if she was going to make him guess.

Back at the table, Simone filled Ethan in on what had been happening. Ethan seemed skeptical, but Simone told him that Dani had looks working for her and that, as a man, Garret was seeing that. Ethan tried to save himself from being lumped into a category with someone they suspected was capable of such deviant actions, but Simone made a quip about how Ethan should be willing and able to clean up his gender group.

A short time later, Josh and Dani joined Ethan and Simone at the table. After joking about Josh joining Ethan's crusade to rid the planet of all bad guys, they talked in earnest about finding out more about Garret. Dani felt like she had really gone too far with it and that someday they would look back and laugh at how she'd overreacted. However, everyone else at the table noted that because Garret was aiming to be a part of her family, it was too important not to investigate. Josh then confessed that he had an idea that might help them on their quest. Ethan told Dani that the final decision was hers and asked her thoughts. She said that she hoped they were all wrong about Garret, because she couldn't envision the horror that would ensue if he was not who he said he was.

At the police station, Garret tried to ease Mimi's fears about Dani and the upcoming wedding. They didn't stay cozy for long, as Derek soon spotted them and curtly asked if Mimi and her team had found any more leads to Julia. Returning the tone, Mimi insisted that she had gone to the station so that she could check in with her team on a secure line. She left, and Garret tried to approach Derek for a chat by putting a hand on his shoulder. Wanting little if anything to do with his ex-wife's new man, Derek threatened to throw Garret in jail if he didn't remove his hand.

Garret immediately apologized and insisted that since he would be marrying into the family, he just wanted to get to know Dani's father better. He invited Derek and Livia to the wedding and said that it would mean a lot to Dani. Derek made it clear that he wasn't interested and further stated that Garret was to never again attempt to tell him how Dani felt or what was good for her. Knowing that he was fighting a losing battle, Garret changed the subject and tried to make a monetary contribution to a "cops with kids" program. Derek assumed that Garret was trying to buy his way into good standing and noted that he would prefer to simply handcuff him and lock him away.

Before the lid could blow completely off the situation, Mimi returned and gave Derek some papers to look at, which she believed would defuse his temper. After giving him a moment to look it over, she revealed that she was petitioning the court to modify their custody agreement. By doing so, Dani was free to choose where she wanted to live: New York City or Pine Valley. Derek suspected that it was just another bribe and asked what they were up to. Frustrated, Mimi told him that there wasn't anything that she wanted from him -- Garret had just convinced her that it was the right thing to do by their daughter.

Derek was unconvinced, as he believed the "generous" offer should have been made when Mimi had dumped Dani in his lap over a year before and walked away. Unable to tolerate his rigid demeanor any longer, Mimi repeated her act and walked out of the room. Garret stayed behind for a minute, saying that he had a favor to ask. Derek, slightly gloating because he'd known it would happen, invited Garret to "bring it on." Garret informed him that the favor had already been asked -- they really want Derek and Livia at the wedding. Garret said they felt it was important to show Dani that they could merge the two families and make it work.

At that point, Mimi returned. She heard Derek insist that he had work to do, but she could see that his tough exterior was cracking a bit. She told him that while the Santos case was important, she thought that they could slip in some personal business between strategies. Finally, Derek relented and said that he'd talk to Livia. Even if she didn't want to go to the wedding, he would -- for Dani's sake. He walked off, and Mimi and Garret quietly rejoiced.

Krystal met up with Adam at the Roadside Bar, and after trading a few low blows, he asked what she had found out about "Dixie" and any siblings she might have. After getting the boys in the bar to quiet down so she didn't have to get quite so cozy with Adam, Krystal led him around by the nose for a moment, discussing how Del knew how to protect his sources and how popular Paul "Seabone" Hunkle was around Pigeon Hollow. Finally fed up with her delays, Adam demanded to know if Del had any sisters that they didn't know about. Krystal fessed up that she had gotten Del to cop to having two sisters: Dixie and Lanie -- but that he'd clammed up after that.

Upset that Krystal had failed miserably at his simple request, Adam told her that they were no longer working together. Incensed that he could treat their tenuous relationship so carelessly, she stood up and announced that not only was she carrying his baby, she was upset that he wouldn't follow through on his promise to marry her. All of Krystal's biker friends immediately rushed to her rescue and looked at Adam threateningly, while he bleated about how cruel she was to tell such lies. Her friends turned a deaf ear, grabbed Adam, and dragged him out the door, as he protested the entire way. Once he was outside, Krystal placed a call to a travel agency, requesting a ticket on a flight that would take her from Pine Valley to Crow Hollow, West Virginia.

Out in the alley, Adam picked himself up and attempted to dust himself off. When he did, he placed a call to his flight crew and told them to get the jet ready for a trip to Crow Hollow.

Zach showed up at a remote cabin with a kidnapped Di in tow. Fearful that she might be harmed at his hands, she asked about his intentions. Zach told her that while he would prefer not to hurt her, that subject would be discussed after she told him everything she knew. Di quickly revealed that she thought Zach was one of the henchmen in Kevin Sturgess' employ, and Zach did nothing to correct that. She pleaded with him to let her go, as she had already promised to never reveal what she knew.

Unmoved, Zach planted himself in a chair, proclaiming that he had been sent to do a job and that he took pride in doing it well. His flat delivery rattled her nerves, and she continued to try to talk her way out of being trapped in the cabin -- noting that as long as she stayed alive, Kevin was in the clear. However, if she died, the letter with every last detail of the secret she was keeping would be sent, and his cover would be blown. Zach asked where the letter was, but Di refused to divulge that information. He then asked what she was doing in Pine Valley, and she retorted that as long as she kept quiet, her reasons shouldn't matter.

Zach then let his façade slip a little and asked why the sainted Dixie Martin would do time as Di Kirby. Realization dawning, she demanded to know who Zach really was. He told her that Julia Santos was his friend and returned the demand by sternly requesting that she give up any and all information that could help get Julia out of danger. She swore that she didn't know anything that could help Julia, but Zach clearly didn't believe her. She then warned him away from digging for the truth -- simply because he didn't know what he was getting into.

Zach told Di that the look he'd seen in her eyes when she'd thought he worked for Kevin was the same look that Julia had in her eyes every day. Di told him that she couldn't tell what she knew because it would mean a death sentence -- for both of them. She suggested that he let her go so they could both wake up the next morning and the morning after that. She started to beg him and went on to say that she wanted to be able to stand by her son and see her grandson graduate from Harvard. She tried to leave, but Zach prevented her from doing so. He continued to demand that she tell him everything, but she kept hemming and hawing, knowing that if she spilled the beans, they were both dead.

After Di told Zach that his treatment of her almost made confessing worth it, Zach asked her where she'd hidden the "in case I die" letter -- if he had that, he could get all the information that he needed without her saying a word. Before she could crack and tell him where it was, Tad stormed into the cabin and physically attacked Zach. He pushed Zach onto the nearby bed and went directly to Di, checking to see if she was okay.

Zach stumbled to a standing position and closed the door that Tad had entered through. He demanded once again that Di give him the name of the person that wanted Julia dead. Tad swore that Di didn't know and insisted that Zach get out of their way. Zach then informed Tad that she did know the answers he needed, that everything she'd told Zach before Tad had entered was the truth, and everything that she'd told Tad since returning to Pine Valley was a lie.

In Tad's attic, Julia started to pack up her belongings while being haunted by voices from her past. Sam arrived and ordered Julia to stay put. Julia told her nephew about what life in the Witness Protection Program was really like. Sam found the report sobering but insisted to Julia that she not leave anyway. She remarked that he sounded just like his dad.

At the Canadian hospital, Jonathan reunited with Erin and Ryan after undergoing a battery of tests. Jonathan then heard a ticking bomb inside his head and started to panic. His siblings tried to calm him down, but his visions expanded to include his menacing father, then Kendall and Greenlee. Ryan and Erin summoned the doctor, who restrained Jonathan. The doctor then informed Erin and Ryan that Jonathan wasn't insane.

Simone, Ethan, and Josh encouraged Danielle to set a trap for Garret in order to figure out if he was indeed making skeevy moves on her. After she agreed, a beaming Mimi arrived with Garret on her arm. The happy couple reported that their nuptials were imminent, distressing Dani. Once they left, her pals convinced her to go through with her plan nonetheless, so she made plans to meet up with Garret later. When he returned to the office, Garret fell into Dani's trap, as Josh listened in.

Zach divulged to Tad that "Dixie" had written a letter to be read in the event of her untimely death that disclosed the name of the man after Julia. Di furiously denied it. When Tad sided with her, Zach proclaimed him a fool then left. Tad and "Dixie" got back to his place, where he demanded to know where the letter was. He implored her to tell her who was after Julia before it was too late.

Sam interrupted Tad and Di's on-the-verge-of-getting-heated argument then returned to the attic to tell Julia that Tad would be up soon. Back downstairs, Tad made it clear to Di that he wasn't going to drop the matter. Julia sauntered in and told "Dixie" that even if she didn't tell Tad the name of the guy gunning for her, she'd "sure as hell" tell Julia.

Greenlee and Kendall set out for a girls' night on the town at the roadside bar. Del sidled up to his ex-lover, Kendall, and they enjoyed a pleasant reunion, but Greenlee sent him packing. As payback, Kendall made Greenlee hit the karaoke machine, where she warbled, "She's Having My Baby." When the gals returned to Greenlee's, they discovered that Zach was there. He accused Kendall of turning Julia in to the police again; she denied it. Zach then revealed to the ladies that he'd found proof in Greenlee's house of their scheme to have Kendall become the surrogate mother to Ryan and Greenlee's baby -- and, he added, he intended to stop it from happening.